Max Headroom (1985) (TV)

Directors:

Annabel Jankel
Rocky Morton

Writers:

Annabel Jankel (story)
Rocky Morton (story)

Genre:

Drama | Sci-Fi

Plot:

In the dystopic near future, a crusading TV reporter investigates news stories with the help of a wisecracking computer version of himself.

Plot Keywords:

Television | Cyberpunk | Artificial Intelligence | Media Landscape | Exploding Body

Awards:

3 wins

Cast

Matt Frewer	...	Edison Carter / Max Headroom
Nickolas Grace	...	Grossman
Hilary Tindall	...	Dominique
William Morgan Sheppard	...	Blank Reg (as Morgan Sheppard)
Amanda Pays	...	Theora Jones
Paul Spurrier	...	Bryce Lynch
Hilton McRae	...	Breugal
George Rossi	...	Mahler
Roger Sloman	...	Murray
Anthony Dutton	...	Gorrister
Constantine Gregory	...	Ben Cheviot
Lloyd McGuire	...	Edwards
Elizabeth Richardson	...	Ms. Formby
Gary Hope	...	Ashwell
Joane Hall	...	Body bank receptionist

Also Known As:

Max Headroom: 20 Minutes Into the Future (UK) (alternative title)

Runtime:

57 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Company:

Chrysalis

Trivia:

Remade almost scene-for-scene as the first episode of "Max Headroom" (1987). Only Frewer, Pays and Sheppard appeared in both versions. The obese TV viewer's death by "blipberts", and Carter's reaction to it, as well as the live TV doctor's topic on colon health were discarded.

Quotes:

Edison Carter: This is Edison Carter, coming to you Live and Direct, on Network 23.

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in Maxine (1988)

Absolutely Brilliant observation of post-capitalist corporatism

The original version of this film, which was titled 120 minutes into the Future (I believe) was by far one of the most impressive and subversive things I have seen on TV. The premise involves the idea that Blipverts, or high-speed advertisements, are allowing the TV stations to create more ad time, but are also at risk of causing the most indolent members of society to spontaneously combust.

This is absolutely wonderful!

The whole Max Headroom angle was never really exploited until this became a (too short lived) TV series shortly after. However, this movie is nothing short of being among the most impressive and visionary movies ever made, and by far one of the most interesting (and underrated) cyberpunk tales told.

The low-budget enhances the bleakness of this dystopic future, and the utter pessimism about the future of mankind is palpable at every moment. Watching the TV zombies wander the streets in search of more TV, the dark rooms where the future of man (and media) is decided... the burnt-out buildings, the police-state siege mentality. I have rarely seen anything this ambitious attempted in the past.

This movie warned us about the dangers of mass media, and managed to do it in a way that was not ironic and was highly entertaining. Run out and find this movie if you can (I have seen it on tape, and Sci-Fi channel runs it occasionally). Go... NOW!